Best Cobra engine?

[cobrashoch]

545? - Done this. Some notes in my experience:
Crank - w/a 4.5 stroke the longest rod I could use was a 6.7 rod w/flattop pistons and rings at the top of the piston, w/a D1VE block. However it's done all the time but you have to scratch your head and take lots of measurements dependent on the various block castings you use. A 4.3 stroke gives you much more flexibility. (read-less $$$$$$$) BTW - I'm in the school that the less you have to bore a block, the better.
Rods - Stock rods are good to about 450hp. Changing the big end bolt takes them to about 480hp., and this is only good for short bursts such as occasional drag racing, not any kind of endurance stuff. Next step up in cost is the Chevy rod/stroked combo stuff. Stock replacement Ford aftermarket rods cost slightly more than Chevy rods. My vote so far, 4.3 stroke Chevy cast crank w/aftermarket rods.
Cam- For about two million reasons a hydro roller of .6 to .63 lift is where you want to be on the street, no more lift! If you need more performance just add some duration on the cam and open up the overlap a couple of degrees. Lifts over .65 require constant maintenance and rocker/lifter rebuilds. Speaking of which, does Comp Cams still make steel rockers? I'd look there on your quest.
Heads - Hard to look past P51's for anything around .30 over bore blocks, given the costs. Some cost less, some more, but on the high side the gains are only marginal, and on the low side you can get much less for only marginally cheaper heads. so P51's get my vote.
Intakes - I wouldn't put a intake manifold on your engine, instead I would offer a port match at about 1-1/2 the cost of the manifold per your customers request. I like the Weiand Stealth for carbs, no more than 850cfms. For Dominator street carbs I like the Blue Thunder 180 degree intake.
My vote, hope ya make a million dollars, good luck.

xir8tr - Most 385 aluminum alloy blocks weigh in at roughly the same weight as a D1VE/D0VE blocks. This is due to the extra "racing" ribbing those blocks get to give them strength for drag racing. If it's a lightweight 385 block you want, you might look at a late truck long bore block, or a Dominator "gas poured" sportsman block. I took 35lbs. out of my D1VE block using a judicious grinder together with various machining steps. My long block weighed 545lbs. sans pulleys and supercharger. The Blue Thunder heads I used were only marginally lighter than the stock heads, and I had a steel main girdle. So I wouldn't put much "weight" in all the talk I hear in these parts about lighter engines. Most FE428 stock Iron engines weigh in at roughly 500lbs,
(with aluminum heads) about 100lbs. less if you use a Shelby or Pond Block. BTW - Taking weight off the front of the car can be done by taking weight out of the car itself, not just the engine. Just a friendly reminder of the obvious.
cobrashoch